


All Alone On Christmas

by lallyloo



Category: Eagle of the Ninth Series - Rosemary Sutcliff, The Eagle | Eagle of the Ninth (2011)
Genre: M/M
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2012-12-17
Updated: 2012-12-17
Packaged: 2017-11-21 09:17:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 4,911
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/596051
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/lallyloo/pseuds/lallyloo
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Esca is sick and alone during the holidays while his roommate Marcus is away visiting his uncle.  Esca insists that Christmas is just like any other day, but he soon finds himself lonely and missing Marcus.</p>
            </blockquote>





	All Alone On Christmas

**Author's Note:**

> Originally posted on livejournal in December 2011.

Esca doesn't move from his bed when the door opens and Marcus steps in. He kicks off his boots before walking between their beds and emptying two grocery bags on his desk.

““Mrmfph,” Esca mumbles, “wussat?”

Marcus turns, laughing. “What?”

“That.” Esca raises a hand from beneath his blanket and points weakly. “What's all that?”

“Tea,” Marcus explains, holding up each item. “Orange juice, cough drops, ramen, chicken soup mix, crackers, tissues, nasal spray, Tylenol..” He pauses, “I probably forgot something, but this should do until I get back.”

Leave it to Marcus. Esca hadn't asked for anything –hadn't even mentioned he was sick until Marcus asked him outright– and Marcus shows up with half a pharmacy in his bag.

Esca heaves himself onto his side, trying to prop himself up on his elbow. “Thanks.”

“It's no problem. I'm just sorry I'm taking off.”

“Dun worry,” Esca sniffles, teetering on his elbow. “Iz Christmas, go have fun.”

Marcus leans against the desk, arms crossed over his chest as he stares down at Esca. “You sure you'll be alright?”

“Yeah, go.”

“Because I can stay if you want.”

“Nah, grown boy here. Go on.”

“But it's almost Christmas.”

“Pfft,” Esca mutters as he falls back onto the bed and pulls the covers up to his neck. “Just any other day.”

“Esca.”

“Marcus, iz all good. Go see your uncle. Tell him hi from me.”

“I'm coming back the day after Christmas, so it'll really only be three days total.” Marcus says it as if he's trying to convince himself more than Esca.

“Yeah, so go or you'll miss it.”

“I'll give you a call tonight to see how you are.”

“M'kay.”

“And text me if you need anything.”

“You gonna drive back here and get it for me?”

“Well, no, I guess not,” Marcus laughs, “but I'll try to figure something out.”

Esca waves a hand at him. “Marcus, go.”

“You sure you'll be alright?”

“Yes, now fucking _go_ ,” Esca blurts in frustration, all the fretting almost making him feel worse.

He's not sure why Marcus is making such a big deal of it. It's just another holiday, and if he's sick as a dog he'd rather spend it cooped up alone. This way there'll be no disruptions, he can sleep as long as he wants, and he can sniffle and snort and hack without worrying about bothering Marcus.

“Want me to make you some tea before I go?”

“Marcus, I swear, if I have to get out of this bed and push you out the door I'm gonna be pissed.”

“Alright, alright,” Marcus smiles, raising his hands in defeat. “I'm going. I'll call you tonight.”

“Good,” Esca mumbles. “Drive safe.”

“Merry Christmas.”

“Yeah, yeah, happy Christmas.”

Esca is nearly asleep again before Marcus is out the door.

*

His dreams are frantic. He's traveling in a car with Marcus, but they're driving over water. Marcus tells him it's the ocean and when Esca looks down he realizes it's made of tea. He reaches out the window, trying to grab a floating teabag, realizing too late that the car door is missing and he's nearly swept away in a sea of tea. But Marcus grabs his wrist and holds on, leaving him trailing through the water as they drive. When they reach their destination it's an old farmhouse, and once inside the house turns into his dorm room. Suddenly Marcus is gone and Esca is left searching the desk for the supplies Marcus left for him. To his dismay he realizes all the boxes are empty and the juice is spoiled. When he tries to call Marcus the call won't go through, and he's desperately trying to call the number again when he wakes up panicked and sweaty and breathing heavy against his blankets.

Esca sits up in bed, peeling off his damp t-shirt and tossing it on the floor, and he's left shivering in the heat of the room. He glances over at Marcus's desk and is relieved to see everything is still where Marcus left it.

His legs are shaky when he climbs out of bed and he crosses the room carefully, testing his balance as he goes. Esca picks up the first box of tea he sees and reads the cover – _Herbal Sampler_ – and after brief consideration he settles on lemon ginger. After filling the kettle and plugging it in, Esca stands by Marcus desk, eying over the supplies Marcus left him, and then trailing his eyes over Marcus's things.

His gaze settles on the tiny Christmas tree Marcus had put up a week before. It's barely a foot tall, just a tiny thing with a string of lights and a few baubles, and Esca had teased Marcus when he put it up. But now he finds himself thankful it's there, and he reaches over to plug it into the wall. The multi-colored lights brighten up the tiny corner and it makes Esca miss Marcus for a moment. He turns and glances at Marcus's bed, half expecting him to be sitting on it, and frowns when he finds it empty. A glance at the clock tells him nearly three hours have passed since Marcus left, and he should already be at his uncle's. Esca tries to imagine the jovial air – the tree, the presents, the food, Marcus's uncle smiling and laughing and inviting him in, and Marcus, smiling back and dumping his armful of presents under the tree.

Esca had watched Marcus wrap them, feeling slightly envious that Marcus had someone to buy for. Marcus had gifts for his uncle, and his uncle's best friend Stephanos and his wife, and he'd packed a few extra things for the other friends who were likely to show up at his uncle's door. Esca had met the man a few times and he seemed the type to have a steady stream of random visitors at any time of day, especially at Christmas.

Esca flicks one of the baubles on the tree, jumping when the kettle starts a low whistle. The sudden movement knocks the bauble off the branch and it hits the desk and rolls over the side. Esca fumbles but doesn't manage to catch it before it smashes to the floor.

“Damn it.”

He slides his socked foot along the floor, pushing the broken bits under Marcus's chair with the plan to clean it up later. Then he's pouring hot water into a mug and climbing back into bed with his tea.

*

By the time Esca realizes the phone isn't part of his dream, it feels like it's been ringing for ages.

“Hey,” Marcus says, and there's a worried edge to his voice. “How are you?”

Esca lets out a yawn, breathing loudly into the phone. “Still sick.”

“Not any better?”

“Nope.”

“You sound less stuffy now, at least.”

Esca hums a doubtful sounding response.

“Did you eat anything?”

“Nah, didn't feel like it.” Esca takes a seat in Marcus's desk chair, finding himself unable to stand upright for long. “Had tea though.”

“You should make soup or something.”

Esca shrugs, briefly forgetting that Marcus can't see the motion. “Maybe tomorrow if I have more energy.”

“Okay.”

“So how's your uncle?” Esca asks, anxious to change the subject.

“He's good, same as usual. There are about fifteen people here right now. He decided to throw an impromptu dinner party.”

“Oh yeah?”

“Yeah, so it's basically cocktails, music I don't recognize, and a bunch of old ladies trying to kiss me.”

Esca bursts out laughing, his breath instantly catching in his throat and turning into an uncontrollable cough. He holds the phone away from his ear, pressing it into his side in order to mask the sound.

“Sorry,” Esca sputters after a moment. “Choked.”

“Drink some water.”

Esca reaches for a package of cough drops, flicking the end open with his thumb and popping one into his mouth. “Too far for water.”

“Orange juice then.”

“Mmm,” Esca hums, reaching for the bottle of orange juice. He glances up at his shelf and his mugs look miles away. Marcus's favorite mug is with arm's reach, and Esca considers it for a moment. “Can I use your mug?”

“Yeah, go ahead.”

“I'm going to infect it.”

Marcus laughs in his ear, and Esca smiles at the sound. “It doesn't matter.”

Marcus is quiet as Esca twists the top off the orange juice and pours it into the mug, slopping a bit over the side. Esca shifts in the chair, sliding his feet on the floor, and his heels hit against something.

“Shit,” Esca hisses.

“What?”

“I forgot to mention, I broke one of your baubles.”

“Baubles?”

“The decorations on your tree.”

“Oh, no big deal.”

“I'll replace it.”

“Esca,” Marcus laughs, “they were only a couple bucks.”

“Yeah, but still –”

“Don't worry about it.”

Esca leans back in the chair, taking a sip of orange juice, and with Marcus's silence on the other end Esca is able to hear the sound of the party happening around him. There's music and laughter and Esca tries to picture Marcus in the middle of it.

“Any ladies tried to kiss you lately?”

“Not since I've been on the phone.”

“I should keep you on then.”

“I wish, but nah, you should go back to sleep.”

Esca yawns because sleep does sound like a good idea. “Okay.”

“Oh hey,” Marcus says, “before I let you go, did you find your present?”

“What present?”

“The one I left for you.”

Esca glances around the room. “You left a –?” he's saying as his eyes land on a wrapped box on the shelf above his headboard. “When did you do that?”

“Before I left.”

“Marcus,” Esca whines, and he hates himself for whining. “Poor students, remember? I thought we weren't doing gifts.”

“Relax, it's nothing big. I just figured you should have something to open on Christmas morning.”

Esca smiles. “Thanks then.”

“Okay, you should sleep. I'll call you again tomorrow.”

“Aww, don't waste your holiday checking up on me,” Esca says, draining the last of the orange juice from Marcus's mug. “I really will be okay, you know.”

“Esca, it's the holidays and you're sick and alone. So I'll be calling whether you like it or not.”

“Fine,” Esca sighs, trying to be difficult but not quite managing. “If you must.”

“Shut up. I'll talk to you tomorrow.”

“Thanks, Marcus.”

*

In his dream, Esca's climbing the rope in his old high school gym class, but as he climbs the rope turns into a giant Christmas tree. With each step, a bauble crunches beneath his foot and Esca can hear his classmates taunting him from below. Suddenly a ceiling tile opens up and Marcus's uncle appears, his beard bushier and whiter than Esca remembers it being, and he's tossing down a bottle of wine, telling Esca it will help him on his journey. The wine hits Esca's shoulder and goes crashing to the floor, spilling orange-colored liquid everywhere. When Esca glances down he discovers the floor has disappeared and he's hanging above a giant snow hill and Marcus is shouting to him, telling him to slide.

“I can't!” Esca shouts, but Marcus just smiles up at him and motions for him to slide.

“I can't!”

There's a rumble from above, and Esca looks up to find blue sky above him and a bird sitting at the top of the tree. He takes another step, trying to reach the top, and his foot slips on the branch.

“Marcus!” he calls, looking down, and the place Marcus had been standing is gone. The ground beneath him is dark, having given way to a vast cavern and he watches as snow falls gently into it. He's not sure how the tree remains standing, as if they're hovering in the air, and Esca shouts into the cavern, trying to locate Marcus.

“Climb the tree, Marcus!” he shouts, hoping Marcus can hear him. “Climb the tree!”

He's still shouting Marcus's name when he comes too, waking up in his bed with the soft glow of the Christmas tree lighting the room. Dread washes over him and his stomach lurches for a moment before he manages to get his bearings. Esca glances over at Marcus's bed, wishing Marcus was in it. He's grown accustomed to Marcus being around, especially at night. They often spend hours talking after dark –Marcus in his bed, Esca in his own– talking about everything and nothing, the deep rumble of Marcus's voice easing Esca to sleep. 

Esca reaches above his bed, fingers scrambling for his phone, and he manages to knock the wrapped box over in the process. It lands on his bed and Esca picks it up to take a closer look. It's simple, and the familiar paper tells Esca that Marcus wrapped it himself. The tag has his name on it, and in Marcus's handwriting it says _**Do not open until Christmas morning.**_

He sets the box by his pillow and manages to type out a text to Marcus.

[ _can u ring me_ ]

It takes less than a minute for his phone to beep with a reply.

[ _cell or room phone?_ ]

[ _either_ ]

His cell rings a second later and Marcus speaks before Esca even has a chance to say hello. “You okay?”

He sounds worried, and Esca can't help but feel a bit silly.

“Yeah,” Esca says, “sorry.”

“What's going on?”

“Just had a weird dream. You know, from the fever and all that.”

“Yeah?”

“Yeah, felt all out of it like I was the last man on earth. Just needed to hear someone else's voice.”

“Okay.”

They're quiet for a moment, and as Esca begins to realize he really is in his room and he's completely fine, he starts to feel a little ridiculous.

“So how's the party?” he asks, looking for a way to change the subject.

“It ended a few hours ago.”

“Early night?”

“Not really,” Marcus laughs. “It's three a.m.”

Esca sits upright, staring at the clock on his desk. _3:09am_. He hadn't even thought to look at the time on his phone. “Damn, I didn't realize. Sorry.”

“Don't worry about it.”

“Except I tell you not to bother checking up me and then I call you at three in the morning.”

“Pretty sure I called _you_ at three in the morning.”

“I texted you, I meant.” Esca shakes his head. “You know what I mean.”

“Esca, it's fine.”

At the sound of Marcus's reassuring voice, Esca presses the phone closer to his ear and turns onto his side. The phone sits snuggly between his face and the pillow, and Esca waits for Marcus to speak again.

“You going to be okay?”

Esca nods, “yeah.”

“Want me to keep talking?”

“If you wouldn't mind it.”

“What should I talk about?”

“Tell me about the party or something.”

Esca can hear Marcus moving, and there's a muffled sound as something scrapes across the mouthpiece of his phone.

“You in bed?”

“Mmm hmm,” he hears Marcus hum, and then the reassuring voice returns, “sorry, had to get comfortable.”

“S'okay,” Esca mumbles, closing his eyes. “Tell me about the party.”

 

Marcus tells him about the wine and the food, and the ladies who kept trying to kiss him. The three who just wanted to love on him and pinch his cheeks, and the fourth who seemed to want to _“love”_ on him and pinch more than his cheeks. That story brings a laugh out of Esca, and then Marcus's voice grows quieter as he outlines the goings-on at the party, and the nice woman he suspects might be his uncle's new girlfriend, and the different desserts he managed to sneak back to his room.

Esca feels as if he hears all of it, but it's quite possible he's already asleep –and has been for a while– when Marcus's voice calls to him, “If you can hear me, I'll call you tomorrow. 'Night, Esca.”

He's not conscious enough to hang up his phone, and when he wakes in the morning it's still pressed against his cheek. When he heads to the bathroom he catches a glimpse of himself in the mirror and can see each individual key imprinted on his face.

*

The day passes in a blur of tea, sleep, fevered dreams, more tea, more sleep, until dinner time hits and Esca finally decides he should attempt to eat something.

He examines the soup packets Marcus left and decides on chicken noodle. He sits in Marcus's desk chair as the water boils, staring blankly at his bed, and his body is screaming at him to lie back down. But he's conscious enough to realize that if he crawls back into bed he's not likely to get up again any time soon.

Esca glances at the calendar on the wall and realizes it's December 24th. Christmas Eve.

His eyes move over to the tree on Marcus's desk, the colorful lights still glowing, and he fights away the lump that begins to form in his throat. Esca had told Marcus it was just any other day, and in his mind he knows it is, but it's Christmas Eve and he feels like shit and at that moment he'd really just like some company. More than company, he begins to realize as he looks over at Marcus's neatly made bed.

He'd really like Marcus to be there.

The kettle starts to whistle and Esca breaks away from his melancholy for a moment, pouring hot water into the cup of noodles and stirring mindlessly until the concoction appears edible.

He's managed to eat half the contents when the phone rings and he reaches over, fumbling and dropping the receiver on the desk before managing to raise it to his ear. “Hi.”

“Hey,” Marcus's says, “how are you?”

“I've been worse.”

“Sorry I didn't call earlier, we were up at Stephanos' and my battery was dead.”

“It's alright.”

“Talked too long on it last night I guess.”

“Sorry,” Esca mumbles, trying to keep his responses short, afraid he'll blurt out that he wishes Marcus was still there.

“Nah, it's no big deal. Besides, it put you to sleep, which is good.”

“Yeah, you were boring as hell,” Esca mutters and he smiles when Marcus bursts out laughing on the other end.

 

They talk about Marcus's day, and the trip to Stephanos' cabin, and Esca describes the soup he's eating because it's really the only thing he's done all day. It's simple and comfortable and Esca dreads the moment he knows is coming, when Marcus says he should go, and he'll call Esca the next day. Esca manages to sound normal when he says goodbye, telling Marcus to have a good Christmas and stressing that he's going to sleep through the next twenty-four hours, but a pang of sadness hits him when he hangs up the phone and he's alone again.

Esca pushes aside the cup of noodles, ignoring the mess he's made of Marcus's desk, and heads back to his bed.

*

It's nearly midnight when he wakes, and he curses his body for waking him at that moment. It's nearly Christmas Day and he's stuck in his dorm room and Marcus is off at his uncle's and Esca can't remember the last time he's felt quite so lonely.

He tries to fight the urge to text Marcus, but it's a losing battle as his fingers mash out a message.

[ _can u call?_ ]

Esca is expecting some sort of _yes_ text in response, and is startled when his phone rings.

“Sorry,” he says immediately.

“It's okay,” Marcus replies, and his voice sounds hoarse from sleep. “What's up?”

“Just – “ Esca stops himself. “You know, Christmas Eve.”

There's a pause and he can hear Marcus moving, perhaps sitting up. “You okay?”

“I'm fine,” Esca says quickly. “Really, it's fine.”

“You don't sound fine.”

“Nah, really. I'm fevered. Just woke up and it's almost Christmas. I'll be good in a sec.”

“Want me to talk to you?”

“ _Yeah_.” Esca's voice breaks and he hopes Marcus doesn't notice.

“Okay, just close your eyes and I'll talk to you about more boring stuff.”

 

Esca shuts his eyes and lies back against his pillow, listening to Marcus's comforting voice in his ear. Marcus tells him about Christmases when he was a kid, and some of his favorite memories, and how his mother used to let him open one gift on Christmas Eve and it was always footie pajamas, and how he'd be so disappointed, but sometimes he wishes he was a kid again so he could wear footie pajamas. Esca mumbles something about how weird that is, and Marcus laughs and says “you know what I mean,” and then Esca laughs too because he does understand.

Marcus tells him about snowball fights and sledding and the time he busted his knee flying off a jump and landing on a pile of rocks by the river's edge. Esca had always wondered about the scar, and Marcus's slight limp, but had no idea it was something from his childhood. “My mom was just glad I didn't land in the river and get swept away,” Marcus says, “but my knee was messed up for years after that.”

When there's a lull in the conversation, Esca takes a breath and manages to whisper, “tell me about next Christmas.”

“ _Next_ Christmas?”

“Yeah,” Esca says, trying to keep his voice from breaking again. “Tell me how it's not going to be as shitty as this Christmas.”

Marcus lets out a sigh and Esca wishes he hadn't heard it. It sounds sad. Pitying, perhaps, but Marcus starts talking and Esca quickly forgets about the sigh.

“Next Christmas will be better,” Marcus begins. “There'll be snow and lights and cheesy music, and maybe we won't be living in that room and I'll have space for a bigger tree. You won't be sick next year and you can come up here with me. I mean, if you don't have other plans..” Marcus seems to add the last bit as an afterthought, and then his story trails off.

“And maybe old ladies will try to kiss me,” Esca prompts.

Marcus laughs loudly. “You can count on it. They won't be able to keep their hands off you.”

Marcus continues his story, telling Esca what they'll do next Christmas, trying to keep Esca's mind off his cold and the fact that he's stuck on campus alone. Esca listens happily, growing tired but forcing himself to stay awake for as long as Marcus wants to talk to him. It's nearly two a.m when Marcus finally suggests that they should both go to sleep, and Esca hums a reply in the affirmative, too afraid speaking will reveal the waver in his voice.

“Merry Christmas, Esca.”

“Merry Christmas,” Esca forces out, tears already forming in his eyes and he hates himself for it.

“'Night.”

“'Night. 

 

Esca wishes he'd let himself fall asleep while Marcus was talking, because now he's awake and alone and he's fighting the ache in his chest as he glances over at Marcus's side of the room. It's at that moment he remembers the gift from Marcus, and Esca lifts his blankets and manages to find the present pushed up against the wall. The wrapping is slightly crumpled from being in Esca's bed with him all day, but the tag is still in place and Esca thumbs over it as he considers the writing.

_**Do not open until Christmas morning.** _

Esca takes another look at the clock. _2:03 a.m_

It's technically already Christmas morning, and Esca lifts one corner of the wrapping paper. When nothing happens, he lifts another corner, and then continues unwrapping until he's holding a box in his hands. It's blue, with a swirling silver pattern on the top, and Esca opens it carefully, squinting to see in the dim light of the room. There's a scarf inside and when Esca takes it out to unravel it several pens fall into his lap and a piece of paper goes fluttering after them.

Esca picks up the paper and realizes it's a note from Marcus.

****_I know you said no gifts but I couldn't leave you with nothing on Christmas._  
The pens are because you're always stealing mine. Now I can steal yours.  
The scarf is to keep your neck warm. Hope you feel better soon.  
See you after Christmas.  
Marcus 

 

Esca lets out a sniffle, telling himself it's because of his cold and definitely _not_ because he's crying at two a.m. on Christmas morning. He gets out of bed, dragging the scarf with him, and pulls back the covers on Marcus's bed. He considers it for only a moment before climbing inside, enjoying the coolness of the sheets after being in his own overheated bed all day. Esca rests his head against Marcus's pillow and he tries to catch the scent of him, but his cold makes it difficult.

He knows he shouldn't be in Marcus's bed, but right now it's the most comforting spot in the room. If Esca can't have Marcus there with him, it's the next best thing.

He falls asleep quickly, the Christmas lights still glowing and the scarf tucked under his chin.

*

Esca doesn't hear the keys in the door, or the footsteps of someone entering the room. He only stirs when he hears Marcus's voice calling his name.

“Esca?”

“Yeah,” Esca replies, his voice rough with sleep. “Is Christmas over already?”

“No,” Marcus whispers, and Esca can hear him dropping his bags on the floor. “It's Christmas Day.”

“Oh.” Esca burrows his face deeper into the pillow, mumbling, “this must be another dream then.”

He can hear Marcus laugh quietly, and Esca fully expects to open his eyes and see an empty farmhouse or a vast cavern of snow and floating Christmas trees with Marcus nowhere in sight.

“Esca?”

Esca turns over and opens his eyes a crack, slightly disoriented by his location in the room. “Are you really here?”

“Yeah,” Marcus says, grinning down at Esca, and he looks very real.

Esca looks around the room for a second and embarrassment hits him when he remembers he's in Marcus's bed.

“I'm in your bed.”

“You are, yeah.”

“I've infected it.”

“It's alright.”

Marcus takes a seat on the edge of the bed, reaching up to unwrap his scarf from around his neck, and Esca's mind goes back to the gift Marcus gave him. “I opened your gift early.”

“Yeah?”

“Last night. I was – ” Esca stops, covering his eyes with his forearm. “Thanks.”

“Don't worry about it,” Marcus says quietly.

“Why'd you come back?”

“I thought you might want company.”

“I did,” Esca admits, and he still can't bring himself to uncover his eyes. “I mean, I do, yeah.”

“Want some tea?”

Esca shakes his head. “Juice, maybe.”

Marcus rises and moves to the desk, pouring some orange juice into a mug. When Esca sneaks a glance at him, he finds Marcus staring down at the disaster Esca made of his desk. The pile of supplies has been rifled through, with empty wrappers and tea bags everywhere, the half-eaten noodles are still waiting to be thrown out, there's a ring of orange juice from the day before, and the broken bauble is somewhere under Marcus's chair.

“I was going to clean that up,” Esca says. “Didn't think you'd be back this early.”

Marcus turns, and Esca is relieved to see he looks amused. He heads back to Esca's bedside and takes a seat again, offering the mug to Esca.

“I can move back to my bed,” Esca suggests after he's downed the entire mug of orange juice.

“No, it's okay. Stay here and go back to sleep.” Marcus takes the empty mug from him and carries it back to his desk.

Esca turns over, facing the wall, and closes his eyes. There are a million things he wants to say. “I'm glad you're here” and “I missed you” and “will you lie with me and talk about boring things?” but he tries for something easier instead.

“Thanks for coming back.”

 

The bed dips after a moment and Marcus is lightly pushing against his shoulder. “Shove over.”

“What – ” Esca starts, but he doesn't have time to finish before Marcus is pressed against his back and wrapping an arm around him. “Marcus, I'm ill, and now you'll be too.”

“I don't care.”

“And I'm gross, I haven't showered or brushed my teeth in two days.”

“ _Esca_ ,” Marcus laughs, “ _I don't care_.”

Esca doesn't argue any further because he's glad to have Marcus there, the strong weight of him against his back, and his breath soft next to Esca's ear.

“I missed you,” Esca whispers, and he finds it's not so embarrassing once he's said it out loud.

“I know,” Marcus replies, his voice low. “I missed you too.”

“Sorry your Christmas is so shitty, stuck here like this.”

“Stop worrying about it,” Marcus says. “Besides, next Christmas will be better, remember?”

“Yeah.” Esca smiles, and reaches for Marcus's hand, intertwining their fingers.

 

Esca sleeps the rest of the afternoon away, waking briefly once or twice to find Marcus still curled up behind him. At dinner time, Marcus makes them soup and they eat in Marcus's bed, and when the evening ends and it's time to sleep Marcus places a soft kiss on Esca's lips.

“You'd better kiss me proper when I'm better,” Esca mumbles.

“I will.”

“Merry Christmas, Marcus.”

“Merry Christmas.”


End file.
